U.S. patent number 7,090,517 [Application Number 10/999,016] was granted by the patent office on 2006-08-15 for electrical connector assembly with pick up cap.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Hao-Yun Ma.
United States Patent |
7,090,517 |
Ma |
August 15, 2006 |
Electrical connector assembly with pick up cap
Abstract
A land grid array connector assembly of the present invention
includes an LGA connector and a pick up cap (6) attached thereon.
The LGA connector includes an insulative housing (2), a plurality
of contacts (24) received in the housing, a load plate (4) mounted
on the housing, and a lever (5) pivotably mounted to the housing.
The housing defines an electrical area (20) for receiving an IC
package (7) therein. The load plate presses the IC package upon the
contacts. The load plate has a generally rectangular window (40).
The pick up cap has a plurality of clasps (65,66) disposed at two
opposite sides, and a pair of protruding blocks (68) towards the
load plate within the scope of the window. The protruding blocks
resist on the IC package when the load plate in a close position,
then the pick up cap can be removed automatically from the
connector.
Inventors: |
Ma; Hao-Yun (Tu-Chen,
TW) |
Assignee: |
Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co.,
Ltd. (Taipei Hsien, TW)
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Family
ID: |
34599659 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/999,016 |
Filed: |
November 29, 2004 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20050124199 A1 |
Jun 9, 2005 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Dec 6, 2003 [CN] |
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2003201203477 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
439/135;
439/940 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K
7/1061 (20130101); H05K 3/303 (20130101); Y10S
439/94 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
13/44 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;439/135,331,940,41 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Nasri; Javaid H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Chung; Wei Te
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electrical connector assembly connecting an IC package and
printed circuit board, comprising: an LGA connector comprising: an
insulative housing defining a plurality of terminal-passage; a
plurality of contacts received in corresponding terminal-passage
respectively; a stiffener mounted around the housing; a load plate
pivoted on the stiffener with a window in a middle thereof; a lever
mounted on the stiffener; and a pick up cap engagingly mounted to
the load plate, the pick up cap having at least one protruding
block toward the housing within the scope of the window of the load
plate, the protruding block resting on the IC package to remove the
pick up cap automatically when the connector is in a close
position.
2. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the IC package has an integrative heat sink, and the protruding
block rests on the integrative heat sink.
3. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein
a pair of protruding blocks is defined on the pick up cap close to
the edge within the scope of the window.
4. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein
the protruding blocks of the pick up cap comprise a contact portion
resting on the integrative heat sink and an incline portion.
5. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein
the pick up cap defines a plurality of clasps clasping on the load
plate.
6. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein
the load plate has a pair of pressed portion protruding to the
housing, the pick up cap defines a pair of ribs corresponding the
pressed portions respectively.
7. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein
the protruding block of the pick up cap each have an arc
configuration.
8. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said at least one protruding block is disposed close to one side
edge of the window when the pick up cap is mounted onto the load
plate.
9. A land grid array connector assembly, comprising: a land grid
array connector, comprising: an insulative housing for receiving an
IC package therein, the housing having a plurality of
terminal-passage for receiving a plurality of contacts
respectively; a load plate being disposed on the housing and having
a window in a middle thereof; a pick up cap mounted on the load
plate, the pick up cap defining a top surface and an opposite
bottom surface thereof, a plurality of clasps and at least one
protruding block on the bottom surface of the pick up cap, the
protruding block extending downward into the middle window of the
load plate and resting on the IC package to be removed
automatically while the load plate is in a closed position.
10. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 9,
wherein a pair of protruding blocks is defined on the bottom
surface of the pick up cap.
11. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 10,
wherein the protruding blocks are close to the edge within the
scope of the window.
12. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 11,
wherein the protruding blocks of the pick up cap comprise a contact
portion resting on the IC package and an incline portion.
13. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 12,
wherein the pick up cap defines a plurality of clasps clasping on
the load plate.
14. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 13,
wherein the protruding blocks of the pick up cap each have an arc
configuration.
15. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 14,
wherein the load plate has a pair of pressed portion protruding to
the housing, the pick up cap defines a pair of ribs corresponding
to the pressed portions respectively.
16. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 9,
wherein said at least one protruding block is further disposed
close to one side edge of the window when the pick up cap is
mounted onto the load plate.
17. A land grid array connector assembly, comprising: a land grid
array connector, comprising: an insulative housing defining an
upward cavity; a plurality of contacts disposed in the housing with
upper contact portions extending into the cavity; an IC package
received in the cavity and engaged with the upper contact portions;
a load plate being disposed on the housing and downwardly pressing
the IC package for holding the IC package in position, a window
defined in a middle portion of the load plate; and a pick up cap
mounted on the load plate, the pick up cap defining a top surface
for vacuum suction, a plurality of clasps generally grasping the
load plate, and a protruding block extending downward into the
receiving cavity; wherein said protruding block is dimensioned to
be received in the cavity without interference when no IC package
is located in the cavity and the load plate is in a locked position
while to be seated upon and interfere with the IC package and
experience an upward force from the IC package when the IC package
is loaded in the cavity and the load plate is intended to
downwardly move to the locked position so that the pick up cap is
eventually forcibly upwardly kicked from the load plate by
engagement between the IC package and the protruding block when the
load plate is moved to the locked position to hold the IC package
in the cavity.
18. The land grid array connector assembly as claimed in claim 17,
wherein said protruding block is disposed away from a center of the
window but close to one side edge of the window when the pick up
cap is mounted onto the load plate.
19. The land grid array connector assembly as claimed in claim 18,
wherein said load plate is pivotal relative to the housing along a
pivot axis, and said side edge and said pivot axis are opposite to
each other with a center of the window therebetween in a
front-to-back direction.
20. The land grid array connector assembly as claimed in claim 19,
wherein a pair of protruding blocks are disposed close to side
edges of the window when the pick up cap is mounted onto the load
plate.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to a land grid array (LGA) connector
assembly which comprises an electrical connector and a pick up cap,
the pick up cap being mounted on the connector for providing a flat
top surface to be engaged by a vacuum suction device, whereby the
LGA connector assembly can be moved onto a circuit substrate such
as a printed circuit board (PCB) on which the connector is to be
mounted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, on many production lines, electronic components such as
land grid array connectors are accurately positioned on circuit
substrates such as printed circuit boards (PCBs) by means of vacuum
suction devices. Such an LGA connector typically comprises an
insulative housing, a plurality of electrical contacts received in
the housing, a load plate pivotably mounted to an end of the
housing, and a lever pivotably mounted to an opposite end of the
housing for engaging with the load plate. The load plate has a
generally rectangular window in a middle thereof. The contacts each
have first contact portions protruding outwardly from a top portion
of the housing, for electrically connecting with a multiplicity of
metal contact pads of an IC package such as an LGA central
processing unit (CPU). Because of this configuration of the LGA
connector, a pick up cap has to be pre-attached on the top portion
of the housing. The pick up cap has a generally rectangular body.
Typically, a plurality of latches depends perpendicularly form
sides of the body. The latches snappingly engage with corresponding
sidewalls of the load plate, thereby mounting the pick up cap onto
the LGA connector. The pick-up cap has a plane top surface exposed
through the window. A vacuum suction device can accordingly engage
on the top surface of the pick up cap, in order to reliably move
the LGA connector and accurately position it onto the PCB.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an LGA connector assembly is
illustrated. The LGA connector assembly comprises an LGA connector
8 and a pick up cap 9 attached thereon. The LGA connector comprises
an insulative housing 81, a plurality of contacts (not shown)
received in the housing 81, a metal stiffener 84 partly covering
and reinforcing the housing 81, a metal load plate 82 pivotably
mounted to an end of the stiffener 84, and a lever 83 pivotably
mounted to an opposite end of the stiffener 84 for engaging with
the load plate 82. The pick up cap 9 has a flat plate for being
sucked by a vacuum suction device, and a plurality of latched 92
depending from the flat plate for snappingly engaging with the
metal load plate 82.
In attaching the pick up cap 9 onto the connector 8, the pick up
cap 9 is disposed on the connector 8. The connector 8 is accurately
positioned and mounted onto the PCB with the pick up cap 9 being
sucked by a vacuum suction device. Then an LGA package (not shown)
is mounted onto the connector 8 and engaged with the contacts which
electrically engage with the PCB. The pick up cap 9 is still
attached onto the connector 8. But the connector 8 needs a heat
sink to cool the LGA package. The pick up cap 9 must be removed
from the connector 8 firstly through another step consuming more
work time.
In view of the above, a new land grid array connector assembly with
an improved pick up cap which overcomes the above-mentioned
disadvantage is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a
land grid array (LGA) connector assembly which has an LGA connector
and a pick up cap mounted onto the connector, wherein after
engaging a LGA package with the connector the pick up cap can be
removed automatically within a short time, thereby decreasing the
cost.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, a land grid array connector
assembly accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention comprises an LGA connector and a pick up cap mounted onto
the connector. The connector comprises an insulating housing and a
load plate. The insulating housing defines a number of cells for
receiving a corresponding number of contacts. The load plate has a
substantially plate configuration with a generally rectangular
window in a middle thereof. The pick up cap defines at least one
protruding block which can resist on the IC package and be removed
from the connector automatically.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will
become more apparent from the following detailed description when
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a conventional pick up cap;
FIG. 2 is an assembled side view of a conventional electrical
connector and a conventional pick up cap;
FIG. 3 is an exploded isometric view of an LGA connector assembly
in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the LGA connector assembly comprising an LGA connector
and a pick up cap mounted onto the connector;
FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the pick up cap of the present
invention;
FIG. 5 is an assembled isometric view of the present LGA connector
assembly when the connector is in its open position;
FIG. 6 is an assembled isometric view of the present LGA connector
assembly when the connector is in its close position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE
INVENTION
Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the present
invention in detail.
Referring to FIGS. 3 to 6, a connector assembly comprises a land
grid array connector and a generally rectangular pick up cap 6. The
connector comprises a generally rectangular insulative housing 2, a
multiplicity of contacts 24 received in the housing 2, a metal
stiffener 3 partly covering and reinforcing the housing 2, a lever
5 pivotably received in an end of the stiffener 3, a metal load
plate 4 pivotably mounted to an opposite end of the stiffener 3 for
engaging with the lever 5. A vacuum suction device can accordingly
engage on the pick up cap 6 in order to reliably move the LGA
connector and accurately position it onto the PCB.
The housing 2 defines a generally rectangular electrical area 20 in
the middle thereof which is used for receiving an IC package 7 such
as an LGA central processing unit (CPU). The electrical area 20
defines a multiplicity of terminal-passages 26, the
terminal-passages 26 receiving a corresponding number of the
contacts 24 therein respectively. The up side of the electrical
area 20 is a touch plane 22. Each contacts 24 have a contacting
portion (not shown) protruding outwardly from top face of the
electrical area 20, for resiliently electrically contacing a
corresponding pad of the IC package 7.
The IC package 7 defines an IHS (integrative heat sink) 71 on the
opposite side of the contacts 24. The IHS 71 can mount a thermal
fan to cool the IC package 7 when the IC package 7 is working.
The lever 5 comprises an operating portion 50 and a locating
portion 52 which is generally perpendicular to the operating
portion 50, the other end of the operating portion 50 defines a
handing portion 54 outwardly, the middle of the locating portion 52
defines an offset actuating portion 56.
The load plate 4 is generally rectangular with a window 40 in the
middle thereof. The load plate 4 comprises a first side 41 with an
engaging portion 411 extending from thereof and a second side 42
with a pair of spaced securing portions 421 and a tail 422
extending from thereof. The tail 422 is at the middle of the pair
of spaced securing portions 421. The middle of other two sides of
the load plate 4 defines a pressed portion 43 respectively. The
pressed portion 43 protrudes to the side of the housing 2 in order
to press the IHS 71 of the IC package 7. Then the pads of the IC
package 71 contact electrically with the contacts 24.
The stiffener 3 comprises four sides connecting with each other and
four walls extending upwardly form the sides respectively around
the housing 2, a first wall 30 is corresponding to the second side
42 of the load plate 4 and a second wall 32 is corresponding to the
first side 41 of the load plate 4. The first wall 31 defines a pair
of block openings 302 corresponding to the pair of spaced securing
portions 421 of the load plate 4 respectively. The block openings
302 engage with the spaced securing portions in order to mount the
load plate 4 onto the stiffener 3. The second wall defines a pair
of block portion 322, a securing portion 324 extends form one of
the block portion 322. The lever 5 can be mounted on the second
wall 32 with the block portion 322 and the securing portion 324
securing the lever 5 thereof. One wall between the first wall 31
and the second wall 32 defines a protruding piece 34 like a hook to
securing the handing portion 54 of the lever The two sides opposite
each other of the stiffener 3 define a pair of grooves 36
corresponding to the positioning portions 28 of the housing 2
respectively.
The pick up cap 6 has a top surface 60. The top surface 60 is the
first side. A side opposite to the first side is the second side. A
multiplicity of holes 64 is defined in the pick up cap 6. A first
end 61 is defined corresponding to the first side 41 of the load
plate 4. A second end 62 is defined corresponding to the second
side 42 of the load plate. A pair of first clasps 65 is formed at
opposite sides of the first end 61 respectively. The first clasps
65 depend from the opposite sides of the top surface 60. A pair of
second clasps 66 is formed at the second end 62. A pair of parallel
arcuate ribs 67 is formed at the opposite lateral sides of the pick
up cap 6 respectively. The ribs 67 depend from the opposite side of
the top surface 60. The arcuate ribs 67 is corresponding to the
pressed portions 43 of the load plate 4. The arcuate ribs 67 can
depend on the pressed portions 43 when a vacuum suction device
engages with the pick up cap 6 to move the connector. The arcuate
ribs 67 can keep the pick up cap 6 from being destroyed by the
press force of the vacuum suction.
A pair of protruding blocks 68 depends from the opposite side of
the top surface 60 close to the first end 61. The protruding blocks
68 are towards the load plate 4 and the housing 2 within the scope
of the window 40. The protruding blocks 68 are close the outside of
the pick up cap 6. The protruding blocks 68 can rest on the IHS 71
of the IC package 7 when the pick up cap 6 is mounted on the load
plate 4. The protruding blocks 68 are integral with the pick up cap
6. The protruding blocks 68 comprise a contact portion 680 and a
slant portion 682 respectively. The contact portion 680 can resist
on the IHS 71 of the IC package 7. The contact portion 680 has an
arc configuration in order to protect the IHS 71. The protruding
blocks 68 can also be defined on the pick up cap 6 close with the
second clasps 66 within the scope of the window 40. The protruding
blocks 68 can also be defined on other position within the scope of
the window 40. The protruding blocks 68 can be other shape like
semicircle.
The pick up cap 6 is mounted onto the load plate 4 of the connector
with the first clasps 65 and the second clasps 66 clasping the
edges of the load plate 4. The vacuum suction device can grip the
pick up cap 6 to move the connector and accurately position it onto
the PCB. Then the IC package 7 is put into the housing 2 of the
connector after opening the load plate 4 of the connector. The load
plate 4 is closed and the lever 5 is pivoted from a vertical
position to a horizontal position while the offset actuating
portion 56 of the lever 5 pressing on the engaging portion 411 of
the load plate 4 and the protruding blocks 68 of the pick up cap 6
resisting on the IHS 71 of the IC package 7. The protruding blocks
68 bring distortion and the IHS 71 makes spring force against the
pick up cap 6. The pick up cap 6 is removed automatically from the
load plate 4 with the first clasps 65 and the second clasps 66
broking off from the load plate 4. So there is no need to add
another step to remove the pick up cap 6 after mounting the IC
package 7 into the housing 2 of the connector. Then a heat scatter
is mounted on the connector to cool the IC package 7 during
working.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to
particular embodiments, it is not to be construed as being limited
thereto. Various alterations and modifications can be made to the
embodiments without in any way departing from the scope or spirit
of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *